Apparatuses and methods for partitioned parallel data movement

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods for partitioned parallel data movement. An example apparatus includes a memory device that includes a plurality of partitions, where each partition of the plurality of partitions includes a subset of a plurality of subarrays of memory cells. The memory device also includes sensing circuitry coupled to the plurality of sub arrays, the sensing circuitry including a sense amplifier. A controller for the memory device is configured to direct a first data movement within a first partition of the plurality of partitions in parallel with a second data movement within a second partition of the plurality of partitions.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to semiconductor memory andmethods, and more particularly, to apparatuses and methods forpartitioned parallel data movement.

BACKGROUND

Memory devices are typically provided as internal, semiconductor,integrated circuits in computers or other electronic systems. There aremany different types of memory including volatile and non-volatilememory. Volatile memory can require power to maintain its data (e.g.,host data, error data, etc.) and includes random access memory (RAM),dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM),synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), and thyristor randomaccess memory (TRAM), among others. Non-volatile memory can providepersistent data by retaining stored data when not powered and caninclude NAND flash memory, NOR flash memory, and resistance variablememory such as phase change random access memory (PCRAM), resistiverandom access memory (RRAM), and magnetoresistive random access memory(MRAM), such as spin torque transfer random access memory (STT RAM),among others.

Electronic systems often include a number of processing resources (e.g.,one or more processors), which may retrieve and execute instructions andstore the results of the executed instructions to a suitable location. Aprocessor can comprise a number of functional units such as arithmeticlogic unit (ALU) circuitry, floating point unit (FPU) circuitry, and acombinatorial logic block, for example, which can be used to executeinstructions by performing an operation on data (e.g., one or moreoperands). As used herein, an operation can be, for example, a Booleanoperation, such as AND, OR, NOT, NOT, NAND, NOR, and XOR, and/or otheroperations (e.g., invert, shift, arithmetic, statistics, among manyother possible operations). For example, functional unit circuitry maybe used to perform the arithmetic operations, such as addition,subtraction, multiplication, and division on operands, via a number oflogical operations.

A number of components in an electronic system may be involved inproviding instructions to the functional unit circuitry for execution.The instructions may be executed, for instance, by a processing resourcesuch as a controller and host processor. Data (e.g., the operands onwhich the instructions will be executed) may be stored in a memory arraythat is accessible by the functional unit circuitry. The instructionsand data may be retrieved from the memory array and sequenced andbuffered before the functional unit circuitry begins to executeinstructions on the data. Furthermore, as different types of operationsmay be performed in one or multiple clock cycles through the functionalunit circuitry, intermediate results of the instructions and data mayalso be sequenced and buffered.

In many instances, the processing resources (e.g., processor andassociated functional unit circuitry) may be external to the memoryarray, and data is accessed via a bus between the processing resourcesand the memory array to execute a set of instructions. Processingperformance may be improved in a processor-in-memory device, in which aprocessor may be implemented internally and near to a memory (e.g.,directly on a same chip as the memory array). A processing-in-memorydevice may save time by reducing and eliminating external communicationsand may also conserve power. However, data movement between and withinbanks of a processing-in-memory device may influence the data processingtime of the processing-in-memory device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a block diagram of an apparatus in the form of a computingsystem including a memory device in accordance with a number ofembodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1B is a block diagram of a bank section of a memory device inaccordance with a number of embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1C is a block diagram of a bank of a memory device in accordancewith a number of embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating sensing circuitry to a memorydevice in accordance with a number of embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating circuitry for data movementin a memory device in accordance with a number of embodiments of thepresent disclosure.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are another schematic diagram illustrating circuitry fordata movement in a memory device in accordance with a number ofembodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods for partitionedparallel data movement (e.g., for processing-in-memory (PIM)structures). In at least one embodiment, the apparatus includes a memorydevice including a plurality of partitions, where each partition of theplurality of partitions includes a subset of a plurality of subarrays ofmemory cells. The memory device also includes sensing circuitry coupledto the plurality of subarrays, the sensing circuitry including a senseamplifier (e.g., coupled to each of a plurality of columns). In someembodiments, the sensing circuitry also can include a compute component(e.g., coupled to a number of the plurality of columns and/or a numberof a plurality of sense amplifiers). A controller of the memory deviceis configured to direct a first data movement within a first partitionof the plurality of partitions in parallel with a second data movementwithin a second partition of the plurality of partitions.

For example, the controller can be configured to direct a first datamovement from a first subarray to a second subarray in the firstpartition in parallel with a second data movement from a first subarrayto a second subarray in the second partition. Ordinal numbers such asfirst and second are used herein to assist in distinguishing betweensimilar components (e.g., subarrays of memory cells) and are not used toindicate a particular ordering and/or relationship between thecomponents, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise (e.g., byusing terms such as adjacent, etc.). For example, a first subarray maybe subarray 4 relative to subarray 0 in a bank of subarrays and thesecond subarray may be any other subsequent subarray (e.g., subarray 5,subarray 8, subarray 61, among other possibilities) or the secondsubarray may be any other preceding subarray (e.g., subarrays 3, 2, 1,or 0). Moreover, moving data values from a first subarray to a secondsubarray, or from a first partition to a second partition, are providedas non-limiting examples of such data movement. For example, in someembodiments, the data values may be moved sequentially from eachsubarray to another (e.g., adjacent) subarray in a bank.

As described in more detail below, the embodiments can allow a hostsystem to allocate a number of locations (e.g., sub-arrays (or“subarrays”)) and portions of subarrays, in one or more DRAM banks tohold (e.g., store) and/or process data. A host system and a controllermay perform the address resolution on an entire block of programinstructions (e.g., PIM command instructions) and data and direct (e.g.,control) allocation, storage, and/or movement (e.g., flow) of data andcommands into allocated locations (e.g., subarrays and portions ofsubarrays) within a destination (e.g., target) bank. Writing data andexecuting commands (e.g., performing operations, as described herein)may utilize a normal DRAM write path to the DRAM device. As the readerwill appreciate, while a DRAM-style PIM device is discussed with regardto examples presented herein, embodiments are not limited to a PIM DRAMimplementation.

A bank in a memory device might include a plurality of subarrays ofmemory cells in which a plurality of partitions can each include arespective subset of the plurality of the subarrays. In variousembodiments, an I/O line shared by a plurality of partitions (e.g., adata bus for inter-partition and/or intra-partition data movement, asdescribed herein) can be configured to separate the plurality ofsubarrays into the plurality of partitions by selectably connecting anddisconnecting the partitions using isolation circuitry associated withthe shared I/O line to form separate portions of the shared I/O line. Assuch, a shared I/O line associated with isolation circuitry at aplurality of locations along its length can be used to separate thepartitions of subarrays into effectively separate blocks in variouscombinations (e.g., numbers of subarrays in each partition, depending onwhether various subarrays and/or partitions are connected via theportions of shared I/O line, etc., as directed by a controller). Thiscan enable block data movement within individual partitions to occursubstantially in parallel.

Isolation of the partitions can increase speed, rate, and/or efficiencyof data movement within each partition and in a combination of aplurality of partitions (e.g., some or all the partitions) by the datamovements being performed in parallel (e.g., substantially at the samepoint in time) in each partition or combinations of partitions. Thiscan, for example, reduce time otherwise spent moving (e.g.,transferring) data sequentially from every subarray in an array ofmemory cells. The parallel nature of the data movement (e.g., transfer)described herein allows for local movement of all or most of the datavalues in the subarrays of the partitions such that the movement may beseveral times faster. For example, the movement may be faster by afactor approximating the number of partitions (e.g., with fourpartitions, movement of all the data values in each subarray of eachpartition may be performed in approximately one-fourth the time takenwithout using the partitions described herein). In some embodiments,some but not all of the partitions may be connected to each other toenable multiple transfers, some of which may be inter-partition and/orintra-partition transfers, to be performed substantially in parallel.

By way of example, a data movement may shift data one subarray in afirst direction (e.g., downward in a bank), where the bank may contain128 subarrays. With a non-partitioned bank, this may involve 127movements of data values from one subarray to another subarray (e.g., anadjacent subarray) being performed in sequence (plus possibly clearingthe first subarray). The number of data movements, as described herein,is enumerated by the number of data movements that are not performedsubstantially in parallel (e.g., data movements that are performedsequentially between subarrays in the same bank, subarrays in the samepartition of the bank, and/or subarrays in different partitions).

With partitioning, as described herein, the data movement operation justdescribed can, in some embodiments, be performed in 33 coordinatedmovements of data values from one subarray to another subarray when the128 subarrays are separated into four partitions (e.g., each including arespective 32 subarray subset of the 128 subarrays). For example, 31data movements can be performed in parallel in each of four partitionswhen the inter-partition connections of the isolation circuitry (e.g.,isolation transistors thereof) coupled to the shared I/O lines aredirected (e.g., by the controller) to separate (e.g., disconnect) eachof the four partitions from adjacent partitions such that the datavalues in each partition can be moved (e.g., transferred one subarraydown) within the same partition without affecting data movements inother partitions.

Another data movement (e.g., the 32nd data movement) can be performedwith the isolation circuitry between a second partition and a thirdpartition directed to separate (e.g., disconnect) the second and thirdpartitions and to connect a first partition to the second partition andto connect the third partition to a fourth partition in order to performa movement of data values from the first partition to the secondpartition in parallel with a movement of data values from the thirdpartition to the fourth partition.

Another data movement (e.g., the 33rd data movement) can be performedwith the isolation circuitry between all of the partitions directed toconnect together all of the partitions in order to perform a movement ofdata values from the second partition to the third partition to completethe movement of data values. Alternatively, the isolation circuitrybetween just the second and third partitions can be directed to connectthese partitions to perform the movement of data values from the secondpartition to the third partition.

The parallelism achieved through the partitioning just described mayenable the time taken to complete the data movement operation to bereduced by approximately 74% (e.g., 1.0−33/127=0.740), even though someof the data movements may involve movement between separate partitions.As described further herein, when the data movement is in-place (e.g.,overwriting preexisting data saved in a row of a subarray with datamoved from a row of another subarray), there may be operations performedto save the data values of various subarrays (e.g., data values storedin a row or rows of a last subarray in a partition) prior to beingoverwritten to enable these data values to be later moved (e.g.,transferred) between the different partitions. For example, saving thedata values as such can be performed to enable the 32nd and 33rd datamovements just described. However, those operations may not have a majoreffect on the total number of data movements and/or the length of timetaken for the data movement operation.

In the following detailed description of the present disclosure,reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof,and in which is shown by way of illustration how one or more embodimentsof the disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments are described insufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art topractice the embodiments of this disclosure, and it is to be understoodthat other embodiments may be utilized and that process, electrical, andstructural changes may be made without departing from the scope of thepresent disclosure.

As used herein, designators such as “X”, “Y”, “N”, “M”, etc.,particularly with respect to reference numerals in the drawings,indicate that a number of the particular feature so designated can beincluded. It is also to be understood that the terminology used hereinis for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is notintended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”,and “the” can include both singular and plural referents, unless thecontext clearly dictates otherwise. In addition, “a number of”, “atleast one”, and “one or more” (e.g., a number of memory arrays) canrefer to one or more memory arrays, whereas a “plurality of” is intendedto refer to more than one of such things. Furthermore, the words “can”and “may” are used throughout this application in a permissive sense(i.e., having the potential to, being able to), not in a mandatory sense(i.e., must). The term “include,” and derivations thereof, means“including, but not limited to”. The terms “coupled” and “coupling” meanto be directly or indirectly connected physically or for access to andmovement (transmission) of commands and data, as appropriate to thecontext. The terms “data” and “data values” are used interchangeablyherein and can have the same meaning, as appropriate to the context.

The figures herein follow a numbering convention in which the firstdigit or digits correspond to the figure number and the remaining digitsidentify an element or component in the figure. Similar elements orcomponents between different figures may be identified by the use ofsimilar digits. For example, 108 may reference element “08” in FIG. 1,and a similar element may be referenced as 208 in FIG. 2. As will beappreciated, elements shown in the various embodiments herein can beadded, exchanged, and eliminated so as to provide a number of additionalembodiments of the present disclosure. In addition, the proportion andthe relative scale of the elements provided in the figures are intendedto illustrate certain embodiments of the present disclosure and shouldnot be taken in a limiting sense.

FIG. 1A is a block diagram of an apparatus in the form of a computingsystem 100 including a memory device 120 in accordance with a number ofembodiments of the present disclosure. As used herein, a memory device120, controller 140, channel controller 143, memory array 130, sensingcircuitry 150, including sensing amplifiers and compute circuitry, andperipheral sense amplifier and logic 170 might each also be separatelyconsidered an “apparatus.”

In previous approaches, data may be transferred from the array andsensing circuitry (e.g., via a bus comprising input/output (I/O) lines)to a processing resource such as a processor, microprocessor, andcompute engine, which may comprise ALU circuitry and other functionalunit circuitry configured to perform the appropriate operations.However, transferring data from a memory array and sensing circuitry tosuch processing resource(s) may involve significant power consumption.Even if the processing resource is located on a same chip as the memoryarray, significant power can be consumed in moving data out of the arrayto the compute circuitry, which can involve performing a sense line(which may be referred to herein as a digit line or data line) addressaccess (e.g., firing of a column decode signal) in order to transferdata from sense lines onto I/O lines (e.g., local and global I/O lines),moving the data to the array periphery, and providing the data to thecompute function.

Furthermore, the circuitry of the processing resource(s) (e.g., acompute engine) may not conform to pitch rules associated with a memoryarray. For example, the cells of a memory array may have a 4F² or 6F²cell size, where “F” is a feature size corresponding to the cells. Assuch, the devices (e.g., logic gates) associated with ALU circuitry ofprevious PIM systems may not be capable of being formed on pitch withthe memory cells, which can affect chip size and memory density, forexample.

A number of embodiments of the present disclosure include sensingcircuitry formed on pitch with an array of memory cells. The sensingcircuitry is capable of performing data sensing and compute functionsand storage (e.g., caching) of data local to the array of memory cells.

In order to appreciate the improved data movement (e.g., transfer)techniques described herein, a discussion of an apparatus forimplementing such techniques (e.g., a memory device having PIMcapabilities and an associated host) follows. According to variousembodiments, program instructions (e.g., PIM commands) involving amemory device having PIM capabilities can distribute implementation ofthe PIM commands and data over multiple sensing circuitries that canimplement operations and can move and store the PIM commands and datawithin the memory array (e.g., without having to transfer such back andforth over an A/C and data bus between a host and the memory device).Thus, data for a memory device having PIM capabilities can be accessedand used in less time and using less power. For example, a time andpower advantage can be realized by increasing the speed, rate, and/orefficiency of data being moved around and stored in a computing systemin order to process requested memory array operations (e.g., reads,writes, logical operations, etc.).

The system 100 illustrated in FIG. 1A can include a host 110 coupled(e.g., connected) to memory device 120, which includes the memory array130. Host 110 can be a host system such as a personal laptop computer, adesktop computer, a tablet computer, a digital camera, a smart phone, ora memory card reader, among various other types of hosts. Host 110 caninclude a system motherboard and backplane and can include a number ofprocessing resources (e.g., one or more processors, microprocessors, orsome other type of controlling circuitry). The system 100 can includeseparate integrated circuits or both the host 110 and the memory device120 can be on the same integrated circuit. The system 100 can be, forinstance, a server system and/or a high performance computing (HPC)system or a portion of either. Although the example shown in FIG. 1Aillustrates a system having a Von Neumann architecture, embodiments ofthe present disclosure can be implemented in non-Von Neumannarchitectures, which may not include one or more components (e.g., CPU,ALU, etc.) often associated with a Von Neumann architecture.

For clarity, description of the system 100 has been simplified to focuson features with particular relevance to the present disclosure. Forexample, in various embodiments, the memory array 130 can be a DRAMarray, SRAM array, STT RAM array, PCRAM array, TRAM array, RRAM array,NAND flash array, and NOR flash array, for instance. The memory array130 can include memory cells arranged in rows coupled by access lines(which may be referred to herein as word lines or select lines) andcolumns coupled by sense lines (which may be referred to herein as datalines or digit lines). Although a single memory array 130 is shown inFIG. 1A, embodiments are not so limited. For instance, memory device 120may include a number of memory arrays 130 (e.g., a number of banks ofDRAM cells, NAND flash cells, etc.) in addition to a number subarrays,as described herein.

The memory device 120 can include address circuitry 142 to latch addresssignals provided over a data bus 156 (e.g., an I/O bus from the host110) by I/O circuitry 144 (e.g., provided to external ALU circuitry andto DRAM DQs via local I/O lines and global I/O lines). As used herein,DRAM DQs can enable input of data to and output of data from a bank(e.g., from and to the controller 140 and/or host 110) via a bus (e.g.,data bus 156). During a write operation, a voltage (high=1, low=0) canbe applied to a DQ (e.g., a pin). This voltage can be translated into anappropriate signal and stored in a selected memory cell. During a readoperation, a data value read from a selected memory cell can appear atthe DQ once access is complete and the output is enabled (e.g., by theoutput enable signal being low). At other times, DQs can be in a highimpedance state, such that the DQs do not source or sink current and donot present a signal to the system. This also may reduce DQ contentionwhen two or more devices (e.g., banks) share the data bus.

Status and exception information can be provided from the controller 140on the memory device 120 to a channel controller 143, for example,through a high speed interface (HSI) out-of-band bus 157, which in turncan be provided from the channel controller 143 to the host 110. Thechannel controller 143 can include a logic component 160 to allocate aplurality of locations (e.g., controllers for subarrays) in the arraysof each respective bank to store bank commands, application instructions(e.g., as sequences of operations), and arguments (PIM commands) for thevarious banks associated with operation of each of a plurality of memorydevices (e.g., 120-0, 120-1, . . . , 120-N). The channel controller 143can dispatch commands (e.g., PIM commands) to the plurality of memorydevices 120-1, . . . , 120-N to store those program instructions withina given bank of a memory device.

Address signals are received through address circuitry 142 and decodedby a row decoder 146 and a column decoder 152 to access the memory array130. Data can be sensed (read) from memory array 130 by sensing voltageand current changes on sense lines (digit lines) using a number of senseamplifiers, as described herein, of the sensing circuitry 150. A senseamplifier can read and latch a page (e.g., a row) of data from thememory array 130. Additional compute components, as described herein,can be coupled to the sense amplifiers and can be used in combinationwith the sense amplifiers to sense, store (e.g., cache and buffer),perform compute functions (e.g., operations), and/or move data. The I/Ocircuitry 144 can be used for bi-directional data communication withhost 110 over the data bus 156 (e.g., a 64 bit wide data bus). The writecircuitry 148 can be used to write data to the memory array 130.

Controller 140 (e.g., bank control logic and sequencer) can decodesignals (e.g., commands) provided by control bus 154 from the host 110.These signals can include chip enable signals, write enable signals, andaddress latch signals that can be used to control operations performedon the memory array 130, including data sense, data store, datamovement, data write, and data erase operations, among other operations.In various embodiments, the controller 140 can be responsible forexecuting instructions from the host 110 and accessing the memory array130. The controller 140 can be a state machine, a sequencer, or someother type of controller. The controller 140 can control shifting data(e.g., right or left) in a row of an array (e.g., memory array 130).

Examples of the sensing circuitry 150 are described further below (e.g.,in FIGS. 2 and 3). For instance, in a number of embodiments, the sensingcircuitry 150 can include a number of sense amplifiers and a number ofcompute components, which may serve as an accumulator and can be used toperform operations as directed by a controller 140 and/or a respectivesubarray controller (not shown) of each subarray (e.g., on dataassociated with complementary sense lines).

In a number of embodiments, the sensing circuitry 150 can be used toperform operations using data stored in memory array 130 as inputs andparticipate in movement of the data for transfer, writing, logic, andstorage operations to a different location in the memory array 130without transferring the data via a sense line address access (e.g.,without firing a column decode signal). As such, various computefunctions can be performed using, and within, sensing circuitry 150rather than (or in association with) being performed by processingresources external to the sensing circuitry 150 (e.g., by a processorassociated with host 110 and other processing circuitry, such as ALUcircuitry, located on device 120, such as on controller 140 orelsewhere).

In various previous approaches, data associated with an operand, forinstance, would be read from memory via sensing circuitry and providedto external ALU circuitry via I/O lines (e.g., via local I/O lines andglobal I/O lines). The external ALU circuitry could include a number ofregisters and would perform compute functions using the operands, andthe result would be transferred back to the array via the I/O lines.

In contrast, in a number of embodiments of the present disclosure,sensing circuitry 150 is configured to perform operations on data storedin memory array 130 and store the result back to the memory array 130without enabling a local I/O line and global I/O line coupled to thesensing circuitry 150. The sensing circuitry 150 can be formed on pitchwith the memory cells of the array. Additional peripheral senseamplifiers and/or logic 170 (e.g., subarray controllers that eachexecute instructions for performing a respective operation) can becoupled to the sensing circuitry 150. The sensing circuitry 150 and theperipheral sense amplifier and logic 170 can cooperate in performingoperations, according to some embodiments described herein.

As such, in a number of embodiments, circuitry external to memory array130 and sensing circuitry 150 is not needed to perform compute functionsas the sensing circuitry 150 can perform the appropriate operations inorder to perform such compute functions in a sequence of instructionswithout the use of an external processing resource. Therefore, thesensing circuitry 150 may be used to complement or to replace, at leastto some extent, such an external processing resource (or at least thebandwidth consumption of such an external processing resource).

In a number of embodiments, the sensing circuitry 150 may be used toperform operations (e.g., to execute a sequence of instructions) inaddition to operations performed by an external processing resource(e.g., host 110). For instance, either of the host 110 and the sensingcircuitry 150 may be limited to performing only certain operations and acertain number of operations.

Enabling a local I/O line and global I/O line can include enabling(e.g., turning on, activating) a transistor having a gate coupled to adecode signal (e.g., a column decode signal) and a source/drain coupledto the I/O line. However, embodiments are not limited to not enabling alocal I/O line and global I/O line. For instance, in a number ofembodiments, the sensing circuitry 150 can be used to perform operationswithout enabling column decode lines of the array. However, the localI/O line(s) and global I/O line(s) may be enabled in order to transfer aresult to a suitable location other than back to the memory array 130(e.g., to an external register).

FIG. 1B is a block diagram of a bank section 123 of a memory device inaccordance with a number of embodiments of the present disclosure. Banksection 123 can represent an example section of a number of banksections of a bank of a memory device (e.g., bank section 0, banksection 1, . . . , bank section M). As shown in FIG. 1B, a bank section123 can include a plurality of memory columns 122 shown horizontally asX (e.g., 16,384 columns in an example DRAM bank and bank section).Additionally, the bank section 123 may be divided into subarray 0,subarray 1, . . . , and subarray N−1 (e.g., 32, 64, 128, or variousuneven numbers of subarrays) shown at 125-0, 125-1, . . . , 125-N−1,respectively, that are separated by amplification regions configured tobe coupled to a data path (e.g., the shared I/O line described herein).As such, the subarrays 125-0, 125-1, . . . , 125-N−1 can each haveamplification regions shown 124-0, 124-1, . . . , 124-N−1 thatcorrespond to sensing component stripe 0, sensing component stripe 1, .. . , and sensing component stripe N−1, respectively.

Each column 122 is configured to be coupled to sensing circuitry 150, asdescribed in connection with FIG. 1A and elsewhere herein. As such, eachcolumn in a subarray can, in some embodiments, be coupled individuallyto a sense amplifier and compute component that contribute to a sensingcomponent stripe for that subarray. For example, as shown in FIG. 1B,the bank section 123 can include sensing component stripe 0, sensingcomponent stripe 1, . . . , sensing component stripe N−1 that each havesensing circuitry 150 with sense amplifiers and compute components thatcan, in various embodiments, be used as registers, cache, and databuffering, etc., and that are coupled to each column 122 in thesubarrays 125-0, 125-1, . . . , 125-N−1. The compute component withinthe sensing circuitry 150 coupled to the memory array 130, as shown inFIG. 1A, can complement a cache 171 associated with the controller 140.

Each of the of the subarrays 125-0, 125-1, . . . , 125-N−1 can include aplurality of rows 119 shown vertically as Y (e.g., each subarray mayinclude 512 rows in an example DRAM bank). Example embodiments are notlimited to the example horizontal and vertical orientation of columnsand rows described herein or the example numbers thereof.

An isolation stripe (e.g., isolation stripe 172) can be associated witha partition 128 of a plurality of subarrays. For example, isolationstripe 0 (172) is shown by way of example to be adjacent sensingcomponent stripe 124-N−1, which is coupled to subarray 125-N−1. In someembodiments, subarray 125-N−1 may be subarray 32 in a stack of 128subarrays and may be a last subarray in a first direction in a firstpartition of four partitions of subarrays, as described herein. Asdescribed further in connection with FIGS. 1C and 3, isolation stripescan include a number of isolation transistors configured to selectably(e.g., as directed by controller 140) connect and disconnect portions ofa selected shared I/O line. Selectably enabling (e.g., activating andinactivating) the isolation transistors connects and disconnectsmovement between partitions via the shared I/O line of data values toand from the sense amplifiers and/or compute components (e.g., insensing component stripes, as described herein).

FIG. 1B schematically illustrates storage space (e.g., storage space132) that can be configured for storage of data values from varioussubarrays (e.g., data values from some or all rows of a last subarray ina partition) prior to being overwritten to enable these data values tobe later moved (e.g., transferred) between the different partitions, asdescribed herein. For example, the data values from a row or rows of thelast subarray in the partition can be moved (e.g., transferred) to anunused (e.g., designated) row or rows of memory cells in the samepartition or in a different partition and/or subarray (e.g., shiftedinto a different partition and/or subarray), and/or any other availablestorage space associated with the array in order to serve as the storagespace. In various embodiments, the data values moved to the storagespace may be stored indefinitely or may be stored temporarily (e.g.,until moved to another partition). The data values that are stored inthe storage space 132, however, remain associated with the sourcesubarray and source partition such that the data values are movable(e.g., transferable) to a destination subarray in another partition byconnection of the two partitions. As described herein, the twopartitions can be connected (e.g., as directed by controller 140) viathe isolation transistors in the isolation stripe 172 between the twopartitions.

As such, the plurality of subarrays 125-0, 125-1, . . . , 125-N−1, theplurality of sensing component stripes 124-0, 124-1, . . . , 124-N−1,and the isolation stripe 172 may be considered as a single partition128. In some embodiments, however, depending upon the direction of thedata movement, an isolation stripe can be shared by two adjacentpartitions. As just described, the storage space 132 may at least beassociated with partition 128 even if not physically integrated into thepartition 128.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the bank section 123 can be associated withcontroller 140. The controller 140 shown in FIG. 1B can, in variousexamples, represent at least a portion of the functionality embodied byand contained in the controller 140 shown in FIG. 1A. The controller 140can direct (e.g., control) input of commands and data 141 to the banksection 123 and output of data from the bank section 123 (e.g., to thehost 110) along with control of data movements in the bank section 123,as described herein. The bank section 123 can include a data bus 156(e.g., a 64 bit wide data bus) to DRAM DQs, which can correspond to thedata bus 156 described in connection with FIG. 1A.

FIG. 1C is a block diagram of a bank 121 of a memory device inaccordance with a number of embodiments of the present disclosure. Bank121 can represent an example bank of a memory device (e.g., bank 0, bank1, . . . , bank M−1). As shown in FIG. 1C, a bank 121 can include anaddress/control (A/C) path 153 (e.g., a bus) coupled to a controller140. Again, the controller 140 shown in FIG. 1C can, in variousexamples, represent at least a portion of the functionality embodied byand contained in the controller 140 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

As shown in FIG. 1C, a bank 121 can include a plurality of bank sections(e.g., bank section 123). As further shown in FIG. 1C, a bank section123 can be subdivided into a plurality of subarrays (e.g., subarray 0,subarray 1, . . . , subarray N−1 shown at 125-1, 125-2, . . . , 125-N−1)respectively separated by sensing component stripes 124-0, 124-1, . . ., 124-N−1 that include sensing circuitry 150 and logic circuitry 170. Asnoted, the sensing component stripes 124-0, 124-1, . . . , 124-N−1 eachinclude sensing circuitry 150, having sense amplifiers and computecomponents and logic 170 configured to couple to each column of memorycells in each subarray, as shown in FIG. 1A and described further inconnection with FIGS. 2, 3, 4A, and 4B. The subarrays and associatedsensing component stripes can be divided into a number of partitions(e.g., 128-0, 128-1, . . . , 128-M−1) that share an I/O line 155, asdescribed further herein.

As shown schematically in FIG. 1C, a bank 121 and each section 123 ofthe bank can include a shared I/O line 155 as a data path (e.g., bus)coupled to a plurality of control/data registers in an instructionand/or data (e.g., program instructions (PIM commands) read path andcoupled to a plurality of bank sections (e.g., bank section 123) in aparticular bank 121. The controller 140 can be configured to receive acommand to start performance of an operation in a given bank (e.g., bank121-1). The controller 140 may be configured to retrieve instructionsand/or constant data (e.g., using shared I/O line 155 coupled to controland data registers 151) from the plurality of locations for theparticular bank and perform an operation using the compute component ofthe sensing circuitry 150. The controller 140 may cache retrievedinstructions and/or constant data local to the particular bank (e.g., ininstruction cache 171 and/or logic circuitry 170).

As described herein, an I/O line can be selectably shared by a pluralityof partitions, subarrays, rows, and particular columns of memory cellsvia the sensing component stripe coupled to each of the subarrays. Forexample, the sense amplifier and/or compute component of each of aselectable subset of a number of columns (e.g., eight column subsets ofa total number of columns) can be selectably coupled to each of theplurality of shared I/O lines for data values stored (cached) in thesensing component stripe to be moved (e.g., transferred, transported,and/or fed) to each of the plurality of shared I/O lines. Because thesingular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” can include both singular and pluralreferents herein, “a shared I/O line” can be used to refer to “aplurality of shared I/O lines”, unless the context clearly dictatesotherwise. Moreover, “shared I/O lines” is an abbreviation of “pluralityof shared I/O lines”.

In some embodiments, the controller 140 may be configured to provideinstructions (commands) and data to a plurality of locations of aparticular bank 121 in the memory array 130 and to the sensing componentstripes 124-0, 124-1, . . . , 124-N−1 via the shared I/O line 155coupled to control and data registers 151. For example, the control anddata registers 151 can provide instructions to be executed by the senseamplifiers and the compute components of the sensing circuitry 150 inthe sensing component stripes 124-0, 124-1, . . . , 124-N−1. FIG. 1Cillustrates the instruction cache 171 associated with the controller 140and coupled to a write path 149 to each of the subarrays 125-0, . . . ,125-N−1 in the bank 121.

Implementations of PIM DRAM architecture may perform processing at thesense amplifier and compute component level. Implementations of PIM DRAMarchitecture may allow a finite number of memory cells to be connectedto each sense amplifier (e.g., around 512 memory cells in someembodiments). A sensing component stripe 124 may include, for example,from around 8,000 to around 16,000 sense amplifiers. A sensing componentstripe 124 may be configured to couple to an array of, for example, 512rows and around 16,000 columns. A sensing component stripe can be usedas a building block to construct the larger memory. In an array for amemory device, there may be, for example, 32, 64, or 128 sensingcomponent stripes, which correspond to 32, 64, or 128 subarrays, asdescribed herein. Hence, for example, 512 rows times 128 sensingcomponent stripes would yield around 66,000 rows intersected by around16,000 columns to form around a 1 gigabit DRAM. As such, compared toother PIM DRAM implementations, utilization of the structures andprocesses described herein may save time for data processing (e.g., byreducing external communications by not having to read data out of onebank, bank section, and subarray thereof, storing the data, and thenwriting the data in another location) and may also conserve power.

As described in connection with FIG. 1B, a plurality of subarrays (e.g.,the four subarrays 125-0, 125-1, 125-2, and 125-3 shown by way ofexample in FIG. 1C) and their respective sensing component stripes can,in association with a first isolation stripe 0 (172-0), constitute afirst partition 128-0. The isolation stripe 172-0 can be positioned inbetween subarray 3 (125-3) and subarray 4 (125-4) such that subarray125-3 is a last subarray in a first direction (e.g., downward in thecontext of FIG. 1C) of the first partition 128-0 and subarray 125-4 is afirst subarray in the first direction of a second partition 128-1. Anumber of subarrays and their respective sensing component stripes canextend further in the first direction until a second isolation stripe(not shown) is positioned between the second partition 128-1 and a firstsubarray 125-N−1 of a third partition 128-M−1.

Embodiments, however, are not so limited. For example, in variousembodiments, there can be any number of subarrays in the bank section123, which can be separated by isolation stripes into any number ofpartitions. In various embodiments, the partitions can each include asame number or a different number of subarrays, sensing componentstripes, storage spaces, etc., depending on the implementation.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating sensing circuitry 250 inaccordance with a number of embodiments of the present disclosure. Thesensing circuitry 250 can correspond to sensing circuitry 150 shown inFIG. 1A.

A memory cell can include a storage element (e.g., capacitor) and anaccess device (e.g., transistor). For instance, a first memory cell caninclude transistor 202-1 and capacitor 203-1, and a second memory cellcan include transistor 202-2 and capacitor 203-2, etc. In thisembodiment, the memory array 230 is a DRAM array of 1T1C (one transistorone capacitor) memory cells, although other embodiments ofconfigurations can be used (e.g., 2T2C with two transistors and twocapacitors per memory cell). In a number of embodiments, the memorycells may be destructive read memory cells (e.g., reading the datastored in the cell destroys the data such that the data originallystored in the cell is refreshed after being read).

The cells of the memory array 230 can be arranged in rows coupled byaccess (word) lines 204-X (Row X), 204-Y (Row Y), etc., and columnscoupled by pairs of complementary sense lines (e.g., digit linesDIGIT(D) and DIGIT(D)_ shown in FIG. 2 and DIGIT_0 and DIGIT_0* shown inFIGS. 3 and 4A-4B). The individual sense lines corresponding to eachpair of complementary sense lines can also be referred to as digit lines205-1 for DIGIT (D) and 205-2 for DIGIT (D)_, respectively, orcorresponding reference numbers in FIGS. 3 and 4A-4B. Although only onepair of complementary digit lines are shown in FIG. 2, embodiments ofthe present disclosure are not so limited, and an array of memory cellscan include additional columns of memory cells and digit lines (e.g.,4,096, 8,192, 16,384, etc.).

Although rows and columns are illustrated as orthogonally oriented in aplane, embodiments are not so limited. For example, the rows and columnsmay be oriented relative to each other in any feasible three-dimensionalconfiguration. The rows and columns may be oriented at any anglerelative to each other, may be oriented in a substantially horizontalplane or a substantially vertical plane, and/or may be oriented in afolded topology, among other possible three-dimensional configurations.

Memory cells can be coupled to different digit lines and word lines. Forexample, a first source/drain region of a transistor 202-1 can becoupled to digit line 205-1 (D), a second source/drain region oftransistor 202-1 can be coupled to capacitor 203-1, and a gate of atransistor 202-1 can be coupled to word line 204-Y. A first source/drainregion of a transistor 202-2 can be coupled to digit line 205-2 (D)_, asecond source/drain region of transistor 202-2 can be coupled tocapacitor 203-2, and a gate of a transistor 202-2 can be coupled to wordline 204-X. A cell plate, as shown in FIG. 2, can be coupled to each ofcapacitors 203-1 and 203-2. The cell plate can be a common node to whicha reference voltage (e.g., ground) can be applied in various memoryarray configurations.

The memory array 230 is configured to couple to sensing circuitry 250 inaccordance with a number of embodiments of the present disclosure. Inthis embodiment, the sensing circuitry 250 comprises a sense amplifier206 and a compute component 231 corresponding to respective columns ofmemory cells (e.g., coupled to respective pairs of complementary digitlines). The sense amplifier 206 can be coupled to the pair ofcomplementary digit lines 205-1 and 205-2. The compute component 231 canbe coupled to the sense amplifier 206 via pass gates 207-1 and 207-2.The gates of the pass gates 207-1 and 207-2 can be coupled to operationselection logic 213.

The operation selection logic 213 can be configured to include pass gatelogic for controlling pass gates that couple the pair of complementarydigit lines un-transposed between the sense amplifier 206 and thecompute component 231 and swap gate logic for controlling swap gatesthat couple the pair of complementary digit lines transposed between thesense amplifier 206 and the compute component 231. The operationselection logic 213 can also be coupled to the pair of complementarydigit lines 205-1 and 205-2. The operation selection logic 213 can beconfigured to control continuity of pass gates 207-1 and 207-2 based ona selected operation.

The sense amplifier 206 can be operated to determine a data value (e.g.,logic state) stored in a selected memory cell. The sense amplifier 206can comprise a cross coupled latch, which can be referred to herein as aprimary latch. In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the circuitrycorresponding to sense amplifier 206 comprises a latch 215 includingfour transistors coupled to a pair of complementary digit lines D 205-1and (D)_205-2. However, embodiments are not limited to this example. Thelatch 215 can be a cross coupled latch, e.g., gates of a pair oftransistors, such as n-channel transistors (e.g., NMOS transistors)227-1 and 227-2 are cross coupled with the gates of another pair oftransistors, such as p-channel transistors (e.g., PMOS transistors)229-1 and 229-2). The cross coupled latch 215 comprising transistors227-1, 227-2, 229-1, and 229-2 can be referred to as a primary latch.

In operation, when a memory cell is being sensed (e.g., read), thevoltage on one of the digit lines 205-1 (D) or 205-2 (D)_(—) will beslightly greater than the voltage on the other one of digit lines 205-1(D) or 205-2 (D)_. An ACT signal and an RNL* signal can be driven low toenable (e.g., fire) the sense amplifier 206. The digit lines 205-1 (D)or 205-2 (D)_(—) having the lower voltage will turn on one of the PMOStransistor 229-1 or 229-2 to a greater extent than the other of PMOStransistor 229-1 or 229-2, thereby driving high the digit line 205-1 (D)or 205-2 (D)_(—) having the higher voltage to a greater extent than theother digit line 205-1 (D) or 205-2 (D)_(—) is driven high.

Similarly, the digit line 205-1 (D) or 205-2 (D)_(—) having the highervoltage will turn on one of the NMOS transistor 227-1 or 227-2 to agreater extent than the other of the NMOS transistor 227-1 or 227-2,thereby driving low the digit line 205-1 (D) or 205-2 (D)_(—) having thelower voltage to a greater extent than the other digit line 205-1 (D) or205-2 (D)_(—) is driven low. As a result, after a short delay, the digitline 205-1 (D) or 205-2 (D)_(—) having the slightly greater voltage isdriven to the voltage of the supply voltage V_(CC) through a sourcetransistor, and the other digit line 205-1 (D) or 205-2 (D)_(—) isdriven to the voltage of the reference voltage (e.g., ground) through asink transistor. Therefore, the cross coupled NMOS transistors 227-1 and227-2 and PMOS transistors 229-1 and 229-2 serve as a sense amplifierpair, which amplify the differential voltage on the digit lines 205-1(D) and 205-2 (D)_(—) and operate to latch a data value sensed from theselected memory cell. As used herein, the cross coupled latch of senseamplifier 206 may be referred to as a primary latch 215.

Embodiments are not limited to the sense amplifier 206 configurationillustrated in FIG. 2. As an example, the sense amplifier 206 can be acurrent-mode sense amplifier and a single-ended sense amplifier (e.g.,sense amplifier coupled to one digit line). Also, embodiments of thepresent disclosure are not limited to a folded digit line architecturesuch as that shown in FIG. 2.

The sense amplifier 206 can, in conjunction with the compute component231, be operated to perform various operations using data from an arrayas input. In a number of embodiments, the result of an operation can bestored back to the array without transferring the data via a digit lineaddress access (e.g., without firing a column decode signal such thatdata is transferred to circuitry external from the array and sensingcircuitry via local I/O lines). As such, a number of embodiments of thepresent disclosure can enable performing operations and computefunctions associated therewith using less power than various previousapproaches. Additionally, since a number of embodiments eliminate theneed to transfer data across local and global I/O lines in order toperform compute functions (e.g., between memory and discrete processor),a number of embodiments can enable an increased (e.g., faster)processing capability as compared to previous approaches.

The sense amplifier 206 can further include equilibration circuitry 214,which can be configured to equilibrate the digit lines 205-1 (D) and205-2 (D)_. In this example, the equilibration circuitry 214 comprises atransistor 224 coupled between digit lines 205-1 (D) and 205-2 (D)_. Theequilibration circuitry 214 also comprises transistors 225-1 and 225-2each having a first source/drain region coupled to an equilibrationvoltage (e.g., V_(DD)/2), where V_(DD) is a supply voltage associatedwith the array. A second source/drain region of transistor 225-1 can becoupled digit line 205-1 (D), and a second source/drain region oftransistor 225-2 can be coupled digit line 205-2 (D)_. Gates oftransistors 224, 225-1, and 225-2 can be coupled together, and to anequilibration (EQ) control signal line 226. As such, activating EQenables the transistors 224, 225-1, and 225-2, which effectively shortsdigit lines 205-1 (D) and 205-2 (D)_(—) together and to theequilibration voltage (e.g., V_(CC)/2).

Although FIG. 2 shows sense amplifier 206 comprising the equilibrationcircuitry 214, embodiments are not so limited, and the equilibrationcircuitry 214 may be implemented discretely from the sense amplifier206, implemented in a different configuration than that shown in FIG. 2,or not implemented at all.

As described further below, in a number of embodiments, the sensingcircuitry 250 (e.g., sense amplifier 206 and compute component 231) canbe operated to perform a selected operation and initially store theresult in one of the sense amplifier 206 or the compute component 231without transferring data from the sensing circuitry via a local orglobal I/O line (e.g., without performing a sense line address accessvia activation of a column decode signal, for instance).

Performance of various types of operations can be implemented. Forexample, Boolean operations (e.g., Boolean logical functions involvingdata values) are used in many higher level applications. Consequently,speed and power efficiencies that can be realized with improvedperformance of the operations may provide improved speed and/or powerefficiencies for these applications.

As shown in FIG. 2, the compute component 231 can also comprise a latch,which can be referred to herein as a secondary latch 264. The secondarylatch 264 can be configured and operated in a manner similar to thatdescribed above with respect to the primary latch 215, with theexception that the pair of cross coupled p-channel transistors (e.g.,PMOS transistors) included in the secondary latch can have theirrespective sources coupled to a supply voltage (e.g., V_(DD)), and thepair of cross coupled n-channel transistors (e.g., NMOS transistors) ofthe secondary latch can have their respective sources selectivelycoupled to a reference voltage (e.g., ground), such that the secondarylatch is continuously enabled. The configuration of the computecomponent 231 is not limited to that shown in FIG. 2, and various otherembodiments are feasible.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating circuitry for data movementin a memory device in accordance with a number of embodiments of thepresent disclosure. FIG. 3 shows eight sense amplifiers (e.g., senseamplifiers 0, 1, . . . , 7 shown at 306-0, 306-1, . . . , 306-7,respectively) each coupled to a respective pair of complementary senselines (e.g., digit lines 305-1 and 305-2). FIG. 3 also shows eightcompute components (e.g., compute components 0, 1, . . . , 7 shown at331-0, 331-1, . . . , 331-7) each coupled to a respective senseamplifier (e.g., as shown for sense amplifier 0 at 306-0) via respectivepass gates 307-1 and 307-2 and digit lines 305-1 and 305-2. For example,the pass gates can be connected as shown in FIG. 2 and can be controlledby an operation selection signal, Pass. An output of the selection logiccan be coupled to the gates of the pass gates 307-1 and 307-2 and digitlines 305-1 and 305-2. Corresponding pairs of the sense amplifiers andcompute components can contribute to formation of the sensing circuitryindicated at 350-0, 350-1, . . . , 350-7.

Data values present on the pair of complementary digit lines 305-1 and305-2 can be loaded into the compute component 331-0 as described inconnection with FIG. 2. For example, when the pass gates 307-1 and 307-2are enabled, data values on the pair of complementary digit lines 305-1and 305-2 can be passed from the sense amplifiers to the computecomponent (e.g., 306-0 to 331-0). The data values on the pair ofcomplementary digit lines 305-1 and 305-2 can be the data value storedin the sense amplifier 306-0 when the sense amplifier is fired.

The sense amplifiers 306-0, 306-1, . . . , 306-7 in FIG. 3 can eachcorrespond to sense amplifier 206 shown in FIG. 2. The computecomponents 331-0, 331-1, . . . , 331-7 shown in FIG. 3 can eachcorrespond to compute component 231 shown in FIG. 2. A combination ofone sense amplifier with one compute component can contribute to thesensing circuitry (e.g., 350-0, 350-1, . . . , 350-7) of a portion of aDRAM memory subarray 325 configured to couple to an I/O line 355 sharedby a number of partitions, as described herein. The paired combinationsof the sense amplifiers 306-0, 306-1, . . . , 306-7 and the computecomponents 331-0, 331-1, . . . , 331-7, shown in FIG. 3, can be includedin a sensing component stripe, as shown at 124 in FIG. 1B and at 424 inFIGS. 4A and 4B.

The configurations of embodiments illustrated in FIG. 3 are shown forpurposes of clarity and are not limited to these configurations. Forinstance, the configuration illustrated in FIG. 3 for the senseamplifiers 306-0, 306-1, . . . , 306-7 in combination with the computecomponents 331-0, 331-1, . . . , 331-7 and the shared I/O line 355 isnot limited to half the combination of the sense amplifiers 306-0,306-1, . . . , 306-7 with the compute components 331-0, 331-1, . . . ,331-7 of the sensing circuitry being formed above the columns 322 ofmemory cells (not shown) and half being formed below the columns 322 ofmemory cells. Nor are the number of such combinations of the senseamplifiers with the compute components forming the sensing circuitryconfigured to couple to a shared I/O line limited to eight. In addition,the configuration of the shared I/O line 355 is not limited to beingsplit into two for separately coupling each of the two sets ofcomplementary digit lines 305-1 and 305-2, nor is the positioning of theshared I/O line 355 limited to being in the middle of the combination ofthe sense amplifiers and the compute components forming the sensingcircuitry (e.g., rather than being at either end of the combination ofthe sense amplifiers and the compute components).

The circuitry illustrated in FIG. 3 also shows column select circuitry358-1 and 358-2 that is configured to implement data movement operationswith respect to particular columns 322 of a subarray 325, thecomplementary digit lines 305-1 and 305-2 associated therewith, and theshared I/O line 355 (e.g., as directed by the controller 140 shown inFIGS. 1A-1C). For example, column select circuitry 358-1 has selectlines 0, 2, 4, and 6 that are configured to couple with correspondingcolumns, such as column 0, column 2, column 4, and column 6. Columnselect circuitry 358-2 has select lines 1, 3, 5, and 7 that areconfigured to couple with corresponding columns, such as column 1,column 3, column 5, and column 7. The column select circuitry 358illustrated in connection with FIG. 3 can, in various embodiments,represent at least a portion of the functionality embodied by andcontained in the multiplexers 460 illustrated in connection with FIGS.4A and 4B.

Controller 140 can be coupled to column select circuitry 358 to controlselect lines (e.g., select line 0) to access data values stored in thesense amplifiers, compute components and/or present on the pair ofcomplementary digit lines (e.g., 305-1 and 305-2 when selectiontransistors 359-1 and 359-2 are activated via signals from select line0). Activating the selection transistors 359-1 and 359-2 (e.g., asdirected by the controller 140) enables coupling of sense amplifier306-0, compute component 331-0, and/or complementary digit lines 305-1and 305-2 of column 0 (322-0) to move data values on digit line 0 anddigit line 0* to shared I/O line 355. For example, the moved data valuesmay be data values from a particular row 319 stored (cached) in senseamplifier 306-0 and/or compute component 331-0. Data values from each ofcolumns 0 through 7 can similarly be selected by controller 140activating the appropriate selection transistors.

Moreover, enabling (e.g., activating) the selection transistors (e.g.,selection transistors 359-1 and 359-2) can enable a particular senseamplifier and/or compute component (e.g., 306-0 and/or 331-0,respectively) to be coupled with a shared I/O line 355 such that datavalues stored by an amplifier and/or compute component can be moved to(e.g., placed on and/or transferred to) the shared I/O line 355. In someembodiments, one column at a time is selected (e.g., column 322-0) to becoupled to a particular shared I/O line 355 to move (e.g., transferand/or transport) the stored data values. In the example configurationof FIG. 3, the shared I/O line 355 is illustrated as a shared,differential I/O line pair (e.g., shared I/O line and shared I/O line*).Hence, selection of column 0 (322-0) could yield two data values (e.g.,two bits with values of 0 and/or 1) from a row (e.g., row 319) and/or asstored in the sense amplifier and/or compute component associated withcomplementary digit lines 305-1 and 305-2. These data values could beinput in parallel to each shared, differential I/O pair (e.g., sharedI/O and shared I/O*) of the shared differential I/O line 355.

As described herein, a memory device (e.g., 120 in FIG. 1A) can beconfigured to couple to a host (e.g., 110) via a data bus (e.g., 156)and a control bus (e.g., 154). A bank 121 in the memory device (e.g.,bank section 123 in FIG. 1B) can include a plurality of subarrays (e.g.,125-0, 125-1, . . . , 125-N−1 in FIGS. 1B and 1C) of memory cells. Thebank 121 can include sensing circuitry (e.g., 150 in FIG. 1A andcorresponding reference numbers in FIGS. 2, 3, 4A and 4B) coupled to theplurality of subarrays via a plurality of columns (e.g., 122 in FIG. 1B)of the memory cells. The sensing circuitry can include a sense amplifierand a compute component (e.g., 206 and 231, respectively, in FIG. 2)coupled to each of the columns.

The bank 121 can include a plurality of partitions (e.g., 128-0, 128-1,. . . , 128-M−1 in FIG. 1C) each including a respective subset of theplurality of the subarrays. A controller (e.g., 140 in FIGS. 1A-1C)coupled to the bank can be configured to direct a first data movementfrom a first subarray to a second subarray in a first partition (e.g.,from subarray 125-0 to subarray 125-1 in partition 128-0 in FIG. 1C) inparallel with a second data movement from a first subarray to a secondsubarray in a second partition (e.g., from subarray 125-4 to subarray125-5 (not shown) in partition 128-1 in FIG. 1C).

In various embodiments, the memory device 120 can include isolationcircuitry (e.g., isolation stripes 172 in FIGS. 1B and 1C and/orisolation stripe 372 and isolation transistors 332 and 333 in FIG. 3)configured to disconnect a first portion of a shared I/O line 355corresponding to a first partition from a second portion of the sameshared I/O line 355 corresponding to a second partition. The controller140 can be configured to direct the isolation circuitry to disconnectthe first portion and the second portion of the shared I/O line 355during parallel movement (e.g., transfer and/or transport) of datavalues within the first partition and within the second partition.Disconnecting portions of the shared I/O line 355 can isolate themovement of data values within a first partition from the parallelmovement of data values within a second partition.

In various embodiments, the sensing circuitry (e.g., 150 in FIG. 1A andcorresponding reference numbers in FIGS. 2, 3, 4A and 4B) of a firstsubarray can be coupled to the sensing circuitry of the second subarraywithin the first partition via the first portion of the shared I/O line355 and the sensing circuitry of a first subarray within the secondpartition can be coupled to the sensing circuitry of the second subarrayvia the second portion of the shared I/O line 355. For example, asdescribed in connection with FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B, the sense amplifiersand/or compute components in a sensing component stripe 124 can beselectably coupled via the select circuitry 358 and/or the multiplexers460. The controller 140 can be configured to direct a movement of aplurality of data values from, for example, a first subarray of a firstpartition to a plurality of memory cells in a second subarray of thefirst partition in parallel with a movement of a plurality of datavalues from a first subarray of a second partition to a plurality ofmemory cells in a second subarray of the second partition.

In some embodiments, the plurality of subarrays can each be configuredto include a same number of a plurality of rows (e.g., 319 in FIG. 3) ofmemory cells and/or the plurality of partitions can each be configuredto include a same number of the plurality of the subarrays in eachsubset. However, embodiments are not so limited. For example, in variousembodiments, the number of rows in at least one subarray and/or thenumber of subarrays in at least one partition can differ from the othersubarrays and/or partitions, depending upon the implementation.

The memory device 120 can include a shared I/O line (e.g., 155 in FIG.1C) configured to be coupled to the sensing circuitry of the pluralityof subarrays, such as to selectably implement parallel movement of adata value from a memory cell in a first subarray to a memory cell in asecond subarray. The memory device 120 can, in various embodiments,include a plurality of I/O lines shared by partitions (e.g., 355 inFIGS. 3 and 455-1, 455-2, . . . , 455-M in FIGS. 4A and 4B), such as toselectably implement parallel movement of a plurality of data valuesfrom a first to a second subarray (e.g., in the same partition or adifferent partition). The controller 140 can be configured to move(transfer and/or transport) the data values using the parallelpartitioned data movement described herein, in response to a command(e.g., from the host 110), between sequential subarrays in the bank ofmemory cells using, for example, DRAM logical and/or electricalinterfaces. For example, the controller can be configured to use storedinstructions for implementation of DRAM logical and/or electricalinterfaces.

As described herein, the array of memory cells can include animplementation of DRAM memory cells where the controller is configured,in response to a command to move (e.g., transfer and/or transport) datafrom the source location to the destination location via a shared I/Oline. The source location can be in a first bank and the destinationlocation can be in a second bank in the memory device and/or the sourcelocation can be in a first subarray of one bank in the memory device andthe destination location can be in a second subarray of the same bank.The first subarray and the second subarray can be in the same partitionof the bank or the subarrays can be in different partitions of the bank.

FIG. 3 illustrates schematically an isolation stripe 372 associated withthe subarray 325. The subarray 325 can, in some embodiments, be a lastsubarray in a first direction in a partition (e.g., as shown at subarray125-3 in partition 128-0 in FIG. 1C). The isolation stripe 372 caninclude a number of isolation transistors 332 configured to selectably(e.g., as directed by controller 140) connect and disconnect portions ofa selected shared I/O line(s) 355. Although FIG. 3 shows one transistor332, 333 for each of the two illustrated portions of the shared I/O line355, there can, in some embodiments, be one transistor (e.g., transistor332) configured to selectably connect and disconnect two portions of ashared I/O line 355. In some embodiments, the isolation stripe 372 canbe positioned in association with the sensing component stripe of thelast subarray in the partition (e.g., as shown at 172-0 of subarray128-0 in FIG. 1C).

Each of a plurality of shared I/O lines (e.g., 355 in FIGS. 3 and 455-1,455-2, . . . , 455-M in FIGS. 4A and 4B) might also be coupled to arespective number of assist amplifiers 361. Each of the number of assistamplifiers 361 can be configured to increase a voltage of a data valuemoved via the shared I/O line 355 (e.g., to assist in read/writeoperations, inter-subarray data movements, and/or inter-partition datamovements). Each of the number of assist amplifiers can be separated bya number (e.g., a plurality) of subarrays along the shared I/O line 355.The assist amplifiers 361 can, in some embodiments, be spaced with aparticular number of subarrays between the assist amplifiers, althoughembodiments are not so limited. For example, the assist amplifiers canbe spaced with a variable number of subarrays between them, dependingupon the implementation. The number of assist amplifiers 361 can, insome embodiments, be associated with the isolation circuitry (e.g.,transistors 332 and 333) in an isolation stripe 372 between adjacentpartitions.

FIGS. 4A and 4B represent another schematic diagram illustratingcircuitry for data movement in a memory device in accordance with anumber of embodiments of the present disclosure. As illustrated in FIGS.1B and 1C and shown in more detail in FIGS. 4A and 4B, a bank section ofa DRAM memory device can include a plurality of subarrays, which areindicated in FIGS. 4A and 4B at 425-0 as subarray 0 and at 425-N−1 assubarray N−1.

FIGS. 4A and 4B, which are to be considered as horizontally connected,illustrate that each subarray (e.g., subarray 425-0 partly shown in FIG.4A and partly shown in FIG. 4B) can have a number of associated senseamplifiers 406-0, 406-1, . . . , 406-X−1 and compute components 431-0,431-1, . . . , 431-X−1. For example, each subarray, 425-0, . . . ,425-N−1, can have one or more associated sensing component stripes(e.g., 124-0, . . . , 124-N−1 in FIG. 1B). According to embodimentsdescribed herein, each subarray, 425-0, . . . , 425-N−1, can be splitinto portions 462-1 (shown in FIG. 4A), 462-2, . . . , 462-M (shown inFIG. 4B). The portions 462-1, . . . , 462-M may each respectivelyinclude a particular number (e.g., 2, 4, 8, 16, etc.) of the senseamplifiers and compute components (e.g., sensing circuitry 150), alongwith the corresponding columns (e.g., 422-0, 422-1, . . . , 422-7) amongcolumns 422-0, . . . , 422-X−1 that can be selectably coupled to a givenshared I/O line (e.g., 455-M). Corresponding pairs of the senseamplifiers and compute components can contribute to formation of thesensing circuitry indicated at 450-0, 450-1, . . . , 450-X−1 in FIGS. 4Aand 4B.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 3, 4A, and 4B, the particularnumber of the sense amplifiers and compute components, along with thecorresponding columns, that can be selectably coupled to a shared I/Oline 455 (which may be a pair of shared differential lines) can beeight. The number of portions 462-1, 462-2, . . . , 462-M of thesubarray can be the same as the number of shared I/O lines 455-1, 455,2, . . . , 455-M that can be coupled to the subarray. The subarrays canbe arranged according to various DRAM architectures for coupling sharedI/O lines 455-1, 455, 2, . . . , 455-M between subarrays 425-0, 425-1, .. . , 425-N−1.

For example, portion 462-1 of subarray 0 (425-0) in FIG. 4A cancorrespond to the portion of the subarray illustrated in FIG. 3. Assuch, sense amplifier 0 (406-0) and compute component 0 (431-0) can becoupled to column 422-0. As described herein, a column can be configuredto include a pair of complementary digit lines referred to as digit line0 and digit line 0*. However, alternative embodiments can include asingle digit line 405-0 (sense line) for a single column of memorycells. Embodiments are not so limited.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1B and 1C and shown in more detail in FIGS. 4Aand 4B, a sensing component stripe can, in various embodiments, extendfrom one end of a subarray to an opposite end of the subarray. Forexample, as shown for subarray 0 (425-0), sensing component stripe 0(424-0), which is shown schematically above and below the DRAM columnsin a folded sense line architecture, can include and extend from senseamplifier 0 (406-0) and compute component 0 (431-0) in portion 462-1 tosense amplifier X−1 (406-X−1) and compute component X−1 (431-X−1) inportion 462-M of subarray 0 (425-0).

As described in connection with FIG. 3, the configuration illustrated inFIGS. 4A and 4B for the sense amplifiers 406-0, 406-1, . . . , 406-X−1in combination with the compute components 431-0, 431-1, . . . , 431-X−1and shared I/O line 0 (455-1) through shared I/O line M−1 (455-M) is notlimited to half the combination of the sense amplifiers with the computecomponents of the sensing circuitry (450) being formed above the columnsof memory cells and half being formed below the columns of memory cells422-0, 422-1, . . . , 422-X−1 in a folded DRAM architecture. Forexample, in various embodiments, a sensing component stripe 424 for aparticular subarray 425 can be formed with any number of the senseamplifiers and compute components of the sensing component stripe beingformed above and/or below the columns of memory cells. Accordingly, insome embodiments as illustrated in FIGS. 1B and 1C, all of the senseamplifiers and compute components of the sensing circuitry andcorresponding sensing component stripes can be formed above or below thecolumns of memory cells.

As described in connection with FIG. 3, each subarray can have columnselect circuitry (e.g., 358) that is configured to implement datamovement operations with respect to particular columns 422 of asubarray, such as subarray 425-0, and the complementary digit linesthereof, coupling stored data values from the sense amplifiers 406and/or compute components 431 to given shared I/O lines 455-1, . . . ,455-M (e.g., complementary shared I/O lines 355 in FIG. 3). For example,the controller 140 can direct that data values of memory cells in aparticular row (e.g., row 319) of subarray 425-0 be sensed and moved toa same or different numbered row of one or more subarrays 425-1, 425-2,. . . , 425-N−1 in a same or different numbered column. For example, insome embodiments, the data values can be moved from a portion of a firstsubarray to a different portion of a second subarray (e.g., notnecessarily from portion 462-1 of subarray 0 to portion 462-1 ofsubarray N−1). In some embodiments data values may be moved from acolumn in portion 462-1 to a column in portion 462-M using shiftingtechniques.

The column select circuitry (e.g., 358 in FIG. 3) can direct movement(e.g., sequential movement) for each of the eight columns (e.g.,digit/digit*) in the portion of the subarray (e.g., portion 462-1 ofsubarray 425-0) such that the sense amplifiers and compute components ofthe sensing component stripe (e.g., 424-0) for that portion can store(cache) and move all data values to the shared I/O line in a particularorder (e.g., in an order in which the columns were sensed). Withcomplementary digit lines, digit/digit*, and complementary shared I/Olines 355, for each of eight columns, there can be 16 data values (e.g.,bits) sequenced to the shared I/O line from one portion of the subarraysuch that one data value (e.g., bit) is input to each of thecomplementary shared I/O lines at a time from each of the senseamplifiers and/or compute components.

As such, with 2048 portions of subarrays each having eight columns(e.g., subarray portion 462-1 of each of subarrays 425-0, 425-1, . . . ,425-N−1), and each configured to couple to a different shared I/O line(e.g., 455-1 through 455-M) 2048 data values (e.g., bits) could be movedto the plurality of shared I/O lines at substantially the same point intime (e.g., in parallel). Accordingly, the plurality of shared I/O linesmight be, for example, at least a thousand bits wide (e.g., 2048 bitswide), such as to increase the speed, rate, and/or efficiency of datamovement in a DRAM implementation (e.g., relative to a 64 bit wide datapath).

As illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B, in each subarray (e.g., subarray425-0) one or more multiplexers 460-1 and 460-2 can be coupled to thesense amplifiers and compute components of each portion 462-1, 462-2, .. . , 462-M of the sensing component stripe 424-0 for the subarray. Themultiplexers 460 illustrated in connection with FIGS. 4A and 4B can, invarious embodiments, be inclusive of at least the functionality embodiedby and contained in the column select circuitry 358 illustrated inconnection with FIG. 3. The multiplexers 460-1 and 460-2 can beconfigured to access, select, receive, coordinate, combine, and move(e.g., transfer and/or transport) the data values (e.g., bits) stored(cached) by the number of selected sense amplifiers and computecomponents in a portion (e.g., portion 462-1) of the subarray to theshared I/O line (e.g., shared I/O line 455-1). The multiplexers can beformed between the sense amplifiers and compute components and theshared I/O line. As such, a shared I/O line, as described herein, can beconfigured to couple a source location and a destination locationbetween pairs of bank section subarrays for improved data movement.

As described herein, a controller (e.g., 140) can be coupled to a bankof a memory device (e.g., 121) to execute a command to move data in thebank from a source location (e.g., subarray 425-0) to a destinationlocation (e.g., subarray 425-N−1). A bank section can, in variousembodiments, include a plurality of subarrays of memory cells in thebank section (e.g., subarrays 125-0 through 125-N−1 and 425-0 through425-N−1). The bank section can, in various embodiments, further includesensing circuitry (e.g., 150) coupled to the plurality of subarrays viaa plurality of columns (e.g., 322-0, 422-0 and 422-1, of the memorycells). The sensing circuitry can include a sense amplifier and acompute component (e.g., 206 and 231, respectively, in FIG. 2 and atcorresponding reference numbers in FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B) coupled to eachof the columns and configured to implement the command to move the data.

The bank section can, in various embodiments, further include a sharedI/O line (e.g., 155, 355, 455-1 and 455-M) to couple the source locationand the destination location to move the data. In addition, thecontroller can be configured to direct the plurality of subarrays andthe sensing circuitry to perform a data write operation on the moveddata to the destination location in the bank section (e.g., a selectedmemory cell in a particular row and/or column of a different selectedsubarray).

According to various embodiments, the apparatus can include a sensingcomponent stripe (e.g., 124 and 424) including a number of senseamplifiers and compute components that corresponds to a number ofcolumns of the memory cells (e.g., where each column of memory cells isconfigured to couple to a sense amplifier and/or a compute component).The number of sensing component stripes in the bank section (e.g., 424-0through 424-N−1) can correspond to a number of subarrays in the banksection (e.g., 425-0 through 425-N−1).

The number of sense amplifiers and compute components can be selectably(e.g., sequentially) coupled to the shared I/O line (e.g., as shown bycolumn select circuitry at 358-1, 358-2, 359-1, and 359-2 in FIG. 3).The column select circuitry can be configured to selectably couple ashared I/O line to, for example, one or more of eight sense amplifiersand compute components in the source location (e.g., as shown insubarray 325 in FIG. 3 and subarray portions 462-1 through 462-M inFIGS. 4A and 4B). As such, the eight sense amplifiers and computecomponents in the source location can be sequentially coupled to theshared I/O line. According to some embodiments, a number of shared I/Olines formed in the array can correspond to a division of a number ofcolumns in the array by the eight sense amplifiers and computecomponents that can be selectably coupled to each of the shared I/Olines. For example, when there are 16,384 columns in the array (e.g.,bank section), or in each subarray thereof, and one sense amplifier andcompute component per column, 16,384 columns divided by eight yields2048 shared I/O lines.

According to some embodiments, a source sensing component stripe (e.g.,124 and 424) can include a number of sense amplifiers and/or computecomponents that can be selected and configured to move (e.g., transferand/or transport) data values (e.g., a number of bits) sensed from a rowof the source location in parallel to a plurality of shared I/O lines.For example, in response to commands for sequential sensing through thecolumn select circuitry, the data values stored in memory cells ofselected columns of a row of the subarray can be sensed by and stored(cached) in the sense amplifiers and/or compute components of thesensing component stripe until a number of data values (e.g., the numberof bits) reaches the number of data values stored in the row and/or athreshold (e.g., the number of sense amplifiers and/or computecomponents in the sensing component stripe) and then move (e.g.,transfer and/or transport) the data values via the plurality of sharedI/O lines. In some embodiments, the threshold amount of data cancorrespond to the at least a thousand bit width of the plurality ofshared I/O lines.

Alternatively or in addition, data values may be moved from a secondarylatch of a first compute component associated with a row in a subarray(e.g., via a particular sensing component stripe) to a secondary latchin a second compute component associated with the same row, or viceversa. Movement between the secondary latches of the compute componentsmay, in some embodiments, involve use of respective coupled senseamplifiers and/or primary latches. In various embodiments, the datavalues may be moved between secondary latches for storage in the samerow as the source location and/or for storage in different destinationlocations (e.g., rows) of the same subarray, a number of (e.g., one ormore) different subarrays, the same partition, and/or a number ofdifferent partitions.

The controller can, as described herein, be configured to move the datavalues from a selected row and a selected column in the source locationto a selected row and a selected column in the destination location viathe shared I/O line. In various embodiments, the data values can bemoved in response to commands by the controller 140 coupled to aparticular subarray 125-0, 125-1, . . . , 125-N−1 and/or a particularsensing component stripe 124-0, 124-1, . . . , 124-N−1 of the subarray.The data values in a particular row of a source (e.g., first) subarraymay be moved to a particular row of a destination (e.g., second)subarray. In some embodiments, data values from other rows in the sourceand/or destination subarrays may remain unmoved. In various embodiments,each subarray may include 256, 512, 1024 rows, among other numbers orrows. For example, the data values may, in some embodiments, besequentially moved from a first row of the source subarray to arespective first row of the destination subarray, then moved from asecond row of the source subarray to a respective second row of thedestination subarray, followed by movement from a third row of thesource subarray to a respective third row of the destination subarray,and so on until the last row of the subarrays. As described herein, therespective subarrays can be in the same partition or in differentpartitions. The data values of any number of rows may be moved from asource subarray to a destination subarray. For example, a selection maybe made to move the data values of one row through all rows in thesource subarray to another one row through all rows at any locations inthe destination subarray.

According to various embodiments, a selected row and a selected columnin the source location (e.g., a first subarray) input to the controllercan be different from a selected row and a selected line in thedestination location (e.g., a second subarray). As such, a location ofthe data in memory cells of the selected row and the selected column inthe source subarray can be different from a location of the data movedto memory cells of the selected row and the selected column in thedestination subarray. For example, the source location may be aparticular row and digit lines of portion 462-1 of subarray 425-0 inFIG. 4A and the destination may be a different row and digit lines ofportion 462-M in subarray 425-N−1 in FIG. 4B.

As described herein, a destination sensing component stripe (e.g., 124and 424) can be the same as a source sensing component stripe. Forexample, a plurality of sense amplifiers and/or compute components canbe selected and configured (e.g., depending on the command from thecontroller) to selectably move (e.g., transfer and/or transport) senseddata to the coupled shared I/O line and selectably receive the data fromone of a plurality of coupled shared I/O lines (e.g., to be moved to thedestination location). Selection of sense amplifiers and computecomponents in the destination sensing component stripe can be performedusing the column select circuitry (e.g., 358-1, 358-2, 359-1, and 359-2in FIG. 3) and/or the multiplexers described herein (e.g., 460-1 and460-2 in FIGS. 4A and 4B).

The controller can, according to some embodiments, be configured towrite an amount of data (e.g., a number of data bits) selectablyreceived by the plurality of selected sense amplifiers and/or computecomponents in the destination sensing component stripe to a selected rowand columns of the destination location in the destination subarray. Insome embodiments, the amount of data to write corresponds to the atleast a thousand bit width of a plurality of shared I/O lines.

The destination sensing component stripe can, according to someembodiments, include a plurality of selected sense amplifiers andcompute components configured to store received data values (e.g., bits)when an amount of received data values (e.g., the number of data bits)exceeds the at least a thousand bit width of the plurality of shared I/Olines. The controller can, according to some embodiments, be configuredto write the stored data values (e.g., the number of data bits) to aselected row and columns in the destination location as a plurality ofsubsets. In some embodiments, the amount of data values of at least afirst subset of the written data can correspond to the at least athousand bit width of the plurality of shared I/O lines. According tosome embodiments, the controller can be configured to write the storeddata values (e.g., the number of data bits) to the selected row andcolumns in the destination location as a single set (e.g., not assubsets of data values).

As described herein, a controller (e.g., 140) can be coupled to a bank(e.g., 121) of a memory device (e.g., 120) to execute a command forparallel partitioned data movement in the bank. A bank in the memorydevice can include a plurality of partitions (e.g., 128-0, 128-1, . . ., 128-M−1 in FIG. 1C) each including a respective plurality of subarrays(e.g., 125-0, 125-1, . . . , 125-N−1 as shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C and425-0, 425-1, . . . , 425-N−1 as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B).

The bank can include sensing circuitry (e.g., 150 in FIG. 1A and 250 inFIG. 2) on pitch with the plurality of subarrays and coupled to theplurality of subarrays via a plurality of sense lines (e.g., 205-1 and205-2 in FIGS. 2, 305-1 and 305-2 and at corresponding reference numbersin FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B). The sensing circuitry can, in some embodiments,include a sense amplifier and a compute component (e.g., 206 and 231,respectively, in FIG. 2 and at corresponding reference numbers in FIGS.3, 4A and 4B) can be coupled to a sense line.

The bank also can include a plurality of shared I/O lines (e.g., 355 inFIGS. 3 and 455-1, 455-2, . . . , 455-M in FIGS. 4A and 4B) configuredto be coupled to the sensing circuitry of the plurality of subarrays toselectably implement movement of a plurality of data values betweensubarrays (e.g., subarray 125-3 in FIG. 1C) of a first partition (e.g.,partition 128-0 in FIG. 1C) in parallel with movement of a plurality ofdata values between subarrays (e.g., subarray 125-4) of a secondpartition (e.g., partition 128-1). Isolation circuitry (e.g., isolationstripes 172 in FIGS. 1B and 1C and/or isolation stripe 372 and isolationtransistors 332 and 333 in FIG. 3) can be configured to selectablyconnect or disconnect portions of an I/O line(s) shared by the first andsecond partitions.

The controller can be configured to selectably direct the isolationcircuitry to disconnect portions of the plurality of shared I/O linescorresponding to the first and second partitions. Disconnecting theportions may, for example, allow a first data movement (e.g., from afirst subarray to a second subarray in a first partition) to be isolatedfrom a parallel second data movement (e.g., from a first subarray to asecond subarray in a second partition). The controller also can beconfigured to selectably direct the isolation circuitry to connectportions of the plurality of shared I/O lines corresponding to the firstand second partitions. Connecting the portions may, for example, enabledata movement from a subarray in the first partition to a subarray inthe second partition.

The controller can be configured to selectably direct the isolationcircuitry to connect portions of the plurality of shared I/O linescorresponding to a third partition (not shown) and a fourth partition(e.g., partition 128-M−1 in FIG. 1C). Connecting the portionscorresponding to the third and fourth partitions as such can enable aparallel data movement from a subarray in the third partition to asubarray in fourth partition in parallel with a data movement from asubarray in the first partition to a subarray in the second partition,as just described. The controller also can be configured to selectablydirect the isolation circuitry to disconnect the portions of a pluralityof shared I/O lines corresponding to the second and third partitions.Disconnecting the second partition from the third partition as such canisolate the data movement from the first partition to the secondpartition from the parallel data movement from the third partition tothe fourth partition.

A row can be selected (e.g., opened by the controller and/or subarraycontroller via an appropriate select line) for the first sensingcomponent stripe and the data values of the memory cells in the row canbe sensed. After sensing, the first sensing component stripe can becoupled to the shared I/O line, along with coupling the second sensingcomponent stripe to the same shared I/O line. The second sensingcomponent stripe can still be in a pre-charge state (e.g., ready toaccept data). After the data from the first sensing component stripe hasbeen moved (e.g., driven) into the second sensing component stripe, thesecond sensing component stripe can fire (e.g., latch) to store the datainto respective sense amplifiers and compute components. A row coupledto the second sensing component stripe can be opened (e.g., afterlatching the data) and the data that resides in the sense amplifiers andcompute components can be written into the destination location of thatrow.

In some embodiments, 2048 shared I/O lines can be configured as a 2048bit wide shared I/O line. According to some embodiments, a number ofcycles for moving the data from a first row in the source location to asecond row in the destination location can be determined by dividing anumber of columns in the array intersected by a row of memory cells inthe array by the 2048 bit width of the plurality of shared I/O lines.For example, an array (e.g., a bank, a bank section, or a subarraythereof) can have 16,384 columns, which can correspond to 16,384 datavalues in a row, which when divided by the 2048 bit width of theplurality of shared I/O lines intersecting the row can yield eightcycles. Within each separate cycle, 2048 data values can be moved atsubstantially the same point in time (e.g., in parallel one data valueper each of the plurality of shared I/O lines at a time) for movement ofall the data in the row after completion of the eight cycles.Alternatively or in addition, a bandwidth for moving the data from afirst row in the source location to a second row in the destinationlocation can be determined by dividing the number of columns in thearray intersected by the row of memory cells in the array by the 2048bit width of the plurality of shared I/O lines and multiplying theresult by a clock rate of the controller. In some embodiments,determining a number of data values in a row of the array can be basedupon the plurality of sense (digit) lines in the array.

According to some embodiments, the source location in the first subarrayand the destination location in the second subarray can be in a singlebank section of a memory device (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 1B-1C and FIGS.4A-4B). Alternatively or in addition, the source location in the firstsubarray and the destination location in the second subarray can be inseparate banks and bank sections of the memory device coupled to aplurality of shared I/O lines. As such, the data values can be moved(e.g., in parallel) from the first sensing component stripe for thefirst subarray via the plurality of shared I/O lines to the secondsensing component stripe for the second subarray.

According to various embodiments, the controller 140 can select (e.g.,open via an appropriate select line) a first row of memory cells, whichcorresponds to the source location, for the first sensing componentstripe to sense data stored therein, couple the plurality of shared I/Olines to the first sensing component stripe, and couple the secondsensing component stripe to the plurality of shared I/O lines (e.g., viathe column select circuitry 358-1, 358-2, 359-1, and 359-2 and/or themultiplexers 460-1 and 460-2). As such, the data values can be moved inparallel from the first sensing component stripe to the second sensingcomponent stripe via the plurality of shared I/O lines. The firstsensing component stripe can store (e.g., cache) the sensed data and thesecond sensing component stripe can store (e.g., cache) the moved data.

The controller can select (e.g., open via an appropriate select line) asecond row of memory cells, which corresponds to the destinationlocation, for the second sensing component stripe (e.g., via the columnselect circuitry 358-1, 358-2, 359-1, and 359-2 and/or the multiplexers460-1 and 460-2). The controller can then direct writing the data movedto the second sensing component stripe to the destination location inthe second row of memory cells.

The shared I/O line can be shared between all sensing component stripes.In various embodiments, one sensing component stripe or one pair ofsensing component stripes (e.g., coupling a source location and adestination location) can communicate with the shared I/O line at anygiven time. As described herein, a source row of a source subarray(e.g., any one of 512 rows) can be different from (e.g., need not match)a destination row of a destination subarray, where the source anddestination subarrays can, in various embodiments, be in the same ordifferent banks and bank sections of memory cells. Moreover, a selectedsource column (e.g., any one of eight configured to be coupled to aparticular shared I/O line) can be different from (e.g., need not match)a selected destination column of a destination subarray.

Although the description herein has referred to four partitions forpurposes of clarity, the apparatuses and methods presented herein can beadapted to any number of portions of the shared I/O lines, partitions,subarrays, and/or rows therein. For example, the controller can sendsignals to direct connection and disconnection via the isolationcircuitry of respective portions of the shared I/O lines from a firstsubarray in a bank to a last subarray in the bank to enable datamovement from a subarray in any partition to a subarray in any otherpartition (e.g., the partitions can be adjacent and/or separated by anumber of other partitions). In addition, although two disconnectedportions of the shared I/O lines were described to enable parallel datamovement within two respective paired partitions, the controller cansend signals to direct connection and disconnection via the isolationcircuitry of any number of portions of the shared I/O lines to enableparallel data movement within any number of respective pairedpartitions. Moreover, the data can be selectably moved in parallel inthe respective portions of the shared I/O lines in either of the firstdirection and/or the second direction.

While example embodiments including various combinations andconfigurations of sensing circuitry, sense amplifiers, computecomponents, sensing component stripes, shared I/O lines, column selectcircuitry, multiplexers, isolation stripes, assist amplifiers, etc.,have been illustrated and described herein, embodiments of the presentdisclosure are not limited to those combinations explicitly recitedherein. Other combinations and configurations of the sensing circuitry,sense amplifiers, compute components, sensing component stripes, sharedI/O lines, column select circuitry, multiplexers, isolation stripes,assist amplifiers, etc., disclosed herein are expressly included withinthe scope of this disclosure.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that anarrangement calculated to achieve the same results can be substitutedfor the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to coveradaptations or variations of one or more embodiments of the presentdisclosure. It is to be understood that the above description has beenmade in an illustrative fashion, and not a restrictive one. Combinationof the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specificallydescribed herein will be apparent to those of skill in the art uponreviewing the above description. The scope of the one or moreembodiments of the present disclosure includes other applications inwhich the above structures and processes are used. Therefore, the scopeof one or more embodiments of the present disclosure should bedetermined with reference to the appended claims, along with the fullrange of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

In the foregoing Detailed Description, some features are groupedtogether in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining thedisclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted asreflecting an intention that the disclosed embodiments of the presentdisclosure have to use more features than are expressly recited in eachclaim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matterlies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus,the following claims are hereby incorporated into the DetailedDescription, with each claim standing on its own as a separateembodiment.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus, comprising: a memory device, comprising: a plurality of partitions, wherein each partition of the plurality of partitions includes a subset of a plurality of subarrays of memory cells; sensing circuitry coupled to the plurality of subarrays, the sensing circuitry comprising a sense amplifier; and a controller configured to direct a first data movement within a first partition of the plurality of partitions in parallel with a second data movement within a second partition of the plurality of partitions.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing circuitry further comprises a compute component.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory device further comprises: isolation circuitry configured to selectably disconnect at least a portion of the first partition from at least a portion of the second partition; and wherein the controller is configured to direct the isolation circuitry to disconnect the at least the portions of the first and second partitions during the parallel first and second movements.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory device further comprises: isolation circuitry configured to selectably disconnect at least a portion of the first partition from at least a portion of the second partition by selectable disconnection of portions of an I/O line shared by the first and second partitions.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to: direct sensing circuitry coupled to a first subarray and sensing circuitry coupled to a second subarray in the first partition to couple to a first portion of an I/O line shared by the first and second subarrays in the first partition; direct sensing circuitry coupled to a first subarray and sensing circuitry coupled to a second subarray in the second partition to couple to a second portion of the I/O line shared by the first and second subarrays in the second partition; and direct a parallel movement of a plurality of data values from the first subarray to the second subarray in the first partition and from the first subarray to the second subarray in the second partition.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: each subarray of the plurality of subarrays includes a same number of a plurality of rows of memory cells; and each partition of the plurality of partitions includes a same number of the plurality of the subarrays.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises: an I/O line shared by the first and second partitions, wherein the memory device is configured to selectably couple the shared I/O line to the sensing circuitry.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the shared I/O line comprises a plurality of I/O lines shared by the first and second partitions.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of subarrays of memory cells are subarrays of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cells in a same bank of DRAM cells.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of subarrays of memory cells are subarrays of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cells in different banks of DRAM cells.
 11. An apparatus, comprising: a controller coupled to a memory device, wherein the memory device comprises: during a fourth data movement, wherein the fourth data movement is from the third partition to the fourth partition; and disconnect the second portion of the shared I/O line from the third portion of the shared I/O line during the fourth data movement, wherein the third and fourth data movements are parallel data movements.
 15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the memory device further comprises: a sensing component stripe configured to include a number of a plurality of sense amplifiers and compute components that corresponds to a number of a plurality of columns of the memory cells; and wherein the number of sense amplifiers and compute components in the sensing component stripe is selectably coupled to the shared I/O line.
 16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a number of a plurality of sensing component stripes in a bank of the memory device corresponds to a number of the plurality of subarrays in the bank.
 17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the memory device further comprises: column select circuitry to selectably sense data in a particular column of memory cells of a subarray by being selectably coupled to at least one of the sense amplifier and a compute component coupled to the respective sense line.
 18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus comprises: a sensing component stripe including a number of sense amplifiers and compute components configured to move an amount of data sensed from a row of a first subarray in parallel to a plurality of shared I/O lines; and wherein the amount of data corresponds to at least a thousand bit width of the plurality of shared I/O lines.
 19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a number of a plurality of shared I/O lines corresponds to a number of bits wide shared I/O line.
 20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the isolation circuitry comprises an isolation stripe between the first and second partitions, the isolation stripe comprising: a first isolation transistor coupled to the first portion of the shared I/O line to selectably control data movement from the first partition to the second partition; and a second isolation transistor coupled to the second portion of the shared I/O line to selectably control data movement from the second partition to the first partition.
 21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein: the first isolation transistor is on a side of the isolation stripe associated with the first partition and the second isolation transistor is on an opposite side of the isolation stripe associated with the second partition.
 22. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus comprises: a number of assist amplifiers coupled to the shared I/O line; and wherein each of the number of assist amplifiers is configured to increase a voltage of a data value moved via the shared I/O line.
 23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein each of the number of assist amplifiers is separated by a number of subarrays along the shared I/O line.
 24. A method for operating a memory device, comprising: a controller executing non-transitory instructions through a processing resource for: controlling selectable activation of isolation circuitry to control movement, via a shared I/O line, of data in a first partition and in a second partition of a plurality of subarrays of memory cells.
 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the non-transitory instructions are further executable for: inactivating an isolation transistor in the isolation circuitry coupled to the shared I/O line between the first and second partitions to disconnect the first and second partitions; forming by the disconnect a first portion and a second portion of the shared I/O line; and in parallel, moving data within the first partition using the first portion of the shared I/O line and moving data within the second partition using the second portion of the shared I/O line.
 26. The method of claim 25, wherein disconnecting the first and second partitions includes: isolating a first data movement from a first subarray to a second subarray in the first partition from a parallel second data movement from a first subarray to a second subarray in the second partition.
 27. The method of claim 26, wherein: the first data movement includes moving first data values stored in a number of rows of each of a number of subarrays and wherein the first data values are moved to a corresponding number of rows in a respective number of adjacent subarrays; and the second data movement includes moving second data values stored in a number of rows of each of a number of subarrays and wherein the second data values are moved to a corresponding number of rows in a respective number of adjacent subarrays.
 28. The method of claim 27, wherein a direction of moving the first data values in the first partition is different from a direction of moving the second data values in the second partition.
 29. The method of claim 27, wherein the non-transitory instructions are further executable for: activating the isolation transistor coupled to the shared I/O line between the first and second partitions to connect the first and second partitions; and moving data from a last subarray of the first partition to a respective first subarray in the second partition.
 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the non-transitory instructions are further executable for: storing data values from a number of rows of the last subarray of the first partition in a storage space prior to being overwritten by data values from a number of rows in a next-to-last subarray of the first partition; and moving the data values from the storage space to a corresponding number of rows in the respective first subarray in the second partition.
 31. A method for operating a memory device: the memory device comprising: a plurality of partitions, wherein each partition of the plurality of partitions includes a respective subset of a plurality of subarrays; sensing circuitry coupled to the plurality of subarrays via a plurality of sense lines, the sensing circuitry comprising a sense amplifier coupled to a respective sense line of the plurality of sense lines; an I/O line shared by the partitions and comprising a plurality of portions; and the method comprising: disconnecting a first portion of the shared I/O line from a second portion of the shared I/O line; and in parallel, moving data within a first partition using the first portion of the shared I/O line and moving data within a second partition using the second portion of the shared I/O line.
 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the method further comprises: connecting the first portion of the shared I/O line to the second portion of the shared I/O line; and moving data values from the first partition to the second partition using the shared I/O line.
 33. The method of claim 32, wherein the method further comprises: disconnecting the second portion of the shared I/O line from a third portion of the shared I/O line; connecting the third portion of the shared I/O line to a fourth portion of the shared I/O line; and in parallel with moving data from the first partition to the second partition, moving data from the third partition to the fourth partition.
 34. The method of claim 33, wherein the method further comprises: connecting the second portion of the shared I/O line to the third portion of the shared I/O line; and moving data from the second partition to the third partition.
 35. The method of claim 33, wherein the method further comprises: connecting together the first, second, third, and fourth portions of the shared I/O line; and moving data from the second partition to the third partition. 